Explanation

MIT directory searches are limited, and only allow a certain number of searches per minute. This limit helps guard against spammers who might want to copy every name out of the directory.

If you are using the People Search from web.mit.edu, the limit-counter is shared across all visitors of web.mit.edu. Your own searches could be locked out if you do many searches, but can also be locked out if someone else before you did too many searches.

If you are using the command-line program "finger", the limit-counter can detect your individual IP address, and tracks your own personal searches. You will be temporarily locked out once the maximum number of lookups from your IP address has been reached.

The lock will reset after a few minutes (up to 15), allowing you to do more lookups.

Solutions

If the People search on web.mit.edu doesn't work, you can do directory lookups in other ways: